Psalm 38 Speech Act

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No healthy spot left

Psalm 38

Please note: Resources for Psalm 38 are in the process of being reformatted for visual consistency and improved functionality.

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Speech Act Analysis

What is Speech Act Analysis?

The Speech Act layer presents the text in terms of what it does, following the findings of Speech Act Theory. It builds on the recognition that there is more to communication than the exchange of propositions. Speech act analysis is particularly important when communicating cross-culturally, and lack of understanding can lead to serious misunderstandings, since the ways languages and cultures perform speech acts varies widely.

For a detailed explanation of our method, see the Speech Act Analysis Creator Guidelines.

• Summary Visual
• Analysis Chart

Summary Visual

Speaker		Verses		Macro Speech Acts		Addressee
David		v. 2 YHWH, do not rebuke me when you’re angry, or discipline me when you’re wrathful!		LAMENT FOR BODILY SUFFERING (vv. 2–9) Your discipline is too harsh. Supporting statements I suffer greatly from the injuries you have inflicted (vv. 3–9).		YHWH
		v. 3 For your arrows have been shot into me, and your hand has struck me.
		v. 4 There is no sound spot in my flesh because of your anger. There is no well-being in my bones because of my sin.
		v. 5 For my iniquities have gone over my head. Like a heavy burden, they are too heavy for me to handle.
		v. 6 My wounds have become foul with rot because of my folly.
		v. 7 I have become completely contorted. I have walked about constantly mourning.
		v. 8 For my sides are full of inflammation, and there is no sound spot in my flesh.
		v. 9 I have become weak and have been crushed completely. I have been groaning because of the severe suffering of my heart.
		v. 10 My Lord, everything I long for is before you, and my moaning is not hidden from you.		LAMENT FOR ABANDONMENT (vv. 10–15) Everyone has abandoned me. Supporting statements I have been abandoned by my strength and my friends (vv. 10–12). My enemies attack while I am helpless (vv. 13–15).
		v. 11 My heart has been pounding. My strength has abandoned me, and the light of my eyes, even that is not with me!
		v. 12 Those who love me, my companions, are standing far away from my injury, and my relatives have stood at a distance.
		v. 13 And those who seek to take my life have set a trap, and those who pursue my harm have been speaking of disaster, and they are constantly muttering treachery.
		v. 14 But I, like a deaf person, cannot hear. And [I am] like a mute person [who] cannot open his mouth.
		v. 15 And so I have become like a man who does not hear and who has no arguments in his mouth.
		v. 16 But, YHWH, I have hoped for you. You yourself must answer, my Lord, my God.		PETITION (vv. 16–23) YHWH, hurry to answer! Supporting statements YHWH is the only one who can answer (v. 16). I am afraid of what my enemies will do when I stumble (vv. 17–21).
		v. 17 For I thought that they would rejoice concerning me, [those who] have considered themselves superior to me when my feet slip.
		v. 18 For I am certain to stumble, and my pain is always before me.
		v. 19 Although I confess my iniquity, I am distressed because of my sin.
		v. 20 And those who are my enemies for no reason are mighty, and those who hate me without cause are numerous.
		v. 21 And those who repay with evil in response to good accuse me in response to my pursuit of good.
		v. 22 Do not abandon me, YHWH! My God, do not be far from me!
		v. 23 Hurry to help me, my Lord, my salvation!

Speech Act Analysis Chart

The following chart is scrollable (left/right; up/down).

  Legend

Verse	Hebrew	CBC	Sentence type	Illocution (general)	Illocution with context	Macro speech act	Intended perlocution (Think)	Intended perlocution (Feel)	Intended perlocution (Do)
Verse number and poetic line	Hebrew text	English translation	Declarative, Imperative, or Interrogative Indirect Speech Act: Mismatch between sentence type and illocution type	Assertive, Directive, Expressive, Commissive, or Declaratory Indirect Speech Act: Mismatch between sentence type and illocution type	More specific illocution type with paraphrased context	Illocutionary intent (i.e. communicative purpose) of larger sections of discourse These align with the "Speech Act Summary" headings	What the speaker intends for the address to think	What the speaker intends for the address to feel	What the speaker intends for the address to do

If an emendation or revocalization is preferred, that emendation or revocalization will be marked in the Hebrew text of all the visuals.

Emendations/Revocalizations legend
*Emended text*	Emended text, text in which the consonants differ from the consonants of the Masoretic text, is indicated by blue asterisks on either side of the emendation.
*Revocalized text*	Revocalized text, text in which only the vowels differ from the vowels of the Masoretic text, is indicated by purple asterisks on either side of the revocalization.